Florida Appeals Court Provides Relief to FSU in Litigation Involving Academic Fraud

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct. 7, 2011 - Austin, TX- October 7, 2011- The latest edition of Sports Litigation Alert reports on how a Florida appeals court has dealt a blow to an academician, who sued Florida State University for defamation after the school blamed her for academic misconduct associated with several student athletes. The panel of judges reversed a lower court’s decision to deny FSU’s motion to dismiss, remanding the case for further consideration.

In 2007, FSU learned of possible academic misconduct in its Office of Athletic Academic Support Services, which provides academic assistance to student athletes. FSU began an investigation. Shortly thereafter, its chief audit officer issued a report finding there was “considerable testimonial evidence” that a "Learning Specialist" and a tutor within the OAAS "perpetuated academic dishonesty" to a degree which may have violated the academic honor policy of the university.

After the release was published, Brenda Monk, the specialist referred to in the report, resigned and sued the school for defamation.

This edition of Sports Litigation Alert also includes the following summaries:

   Parents of Student Athletes Fail in their Attack of Transfer Rule
   Stadium Vendor Sanctioned for Discovery Violations
   Court Provides Partial Victory to District, Coaches and Other Athletic Officials in Hazing Case
   Fitness Club Member Assumed the Risk of Injury

Articles Included:

   Understanding Event Cancellation Insurance Coverage
   Double Fault? Class Action Lawsuit Filed by Tennis Umpires
   Uncle Luke v. Little Luke: Luther Campbell Sues Nevin Shapiro for Libel
   Hard Work, Good Fortune Takes Walters to Senior Legal Position with Bobcats
   Constitutional Challenges to Pat-Down Policy Fade Away, Even as Procedure is Expanded

Coming out 24 times a year, the Alert features a searchable archive of more than 1000 case summaries and articles pertinent to the sports law field.

Subscribe to Sports Litigation Alert by visiting www.sportslitigationalert.com.
The Alert, through Hackney Publications (www.hackneypublications.com), is a member of the National Sports Law Institute and the Sports and Recreation Law Association (http://srlaweb.org/).
About Hackney Publications

Hackney Publications (www.hackneypublications.com) delivers valuable and important information about the legal side of the sports industry. Its overriding mission, through its publications, is to maintain a narrow editorial focus on issues that matter to its subscribers. In addition to Sports Litigation Alert, the company publishes Legal Issues in Collegiate Athletics, Legal Issues in High School Athletics, Professional Sports and the Law and The Journal of NCAA Compliance.

Hackney Publications, which is a member of the National Sports Law Institute and the Sports and Recreation Law Association (http://srlaweb.org/), was founded by journalist Holt Hackney, who has spent more than 20 years writing about sports, business and the law.